On Sunday night at Barclays Center the now 7-2 New York Liberty blew out (104-68) the 2-9 Indiana Fever for the third time this season. The loss comes on a back-to-back for the Fever, who defeated the Chicago Sky 71-70 on Saturday. No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark, who was shooting 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from the three, went 1-for-10 for three points, she added five assists and three rebounds.
Clark and her team’s ugly outing also comes on the heels of Saturday’s dustup between Clark and Sky guard Chennedy Carter.
In that game Carter who guarded Clark for most of the day, exchanged verbal pleasantries which ended in Carter calling Clark “b-tch” before taking a cheap shot at Clark prior to the basketball being inbounded. The shot, a forceful one to Clark’s shoulder sent her to the floor with Carter being issued an off-the-ball foul.
Carter’s foul was upgraded by the league to a flagrant 1 on Sunday according to reports.
At game’s end, Carter’s actions took center stage and were the talk of social media.
Carter Uses Social Media To Verbally Attack On Clark
During her postgame interview, Carter, who’s had her share of disciplinary issues, told reporters:
“I ain’t answering no Caitlin Clark questions.”
While Clark didn’t proceed to do so on the podium, she didn’t let that stop her from firing off about Clark via social media. After liking a post that took her side on X, Carter posted on Threads. Here she was definitely more vocal, and even silly in her assessment of Clark’s game.
“That’s that on that cause beside three-point shooting what does she bring to the table man? Carter asked.
Is Caitlin Clark A One-Dimensional Player?
Calling Clark only a three-point shooter sounds like nothing more than hate. Clark is a fine passer, leading all rookies in assists. Her presence alone makes defenses have to adjust how they defend the Fever as a team. You don’t lead the nation in scoring, assists and threes made per game as a one-dimensional player.
Clark And Fever Brass Want It To Stop
In the aftermath of Saturday’s incident, Clark and general manager Lin Dunn all spoke on the matter. Clark took the high road, as she has all season. Although various video angles show her elbowing Carter first during a scrounge for a loose ball and then yelling back at Carter during the game.
Whatever was said is what Carter reacted to, so her retaliation wasn’t out of the blue and it can’t be labeled as simply “hate”.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Clark said after the game. “It is what it is. It’s a physical game. Go make the free throw and execute on offense, and I feel like that’s kind of what we did.”
Dunn, the franchise’s former head coach who led them to their only WNBA championship back in 2012, took to X to share her feelings.
“There’s a difference between tough defense and unnecessary —targeting actions! It needs to stop! The league needs to cleant the crap! Thats NOT who this league is!!
Strong words from Dunn, and embattled Fever head coach Christie Sides piggybacked her boss’s comments but kept it light by saying “I’m trying not to get fined,” when she first began to talk about her star player being under siege.
Draymond Green Says Fever Need An Enforcer
With Clark being the target of every team the Fever face, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, who’s always ready to mix it up to defend his teammates and especially franchise player Stephen Curry, took to Instagram to say this.
“Fever better go invest in an enforcer… FAST!
That comment drew the ire of the aforementioned Carter, who responded with this via X:
“We grown asf & y’all talking about enforcer. Man, gtfoh. Hoop or shut up.”
Caitlin Clark’s Numbers This Season
Clark is averaging 17.3 points, 6.4 assists. 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, proving she’s much more than a one-trick pony.
The teams meet again on June 25 in Chicago. Get your popcorn ready.
